When I took my carb off for rebuilding, there was a piece of heavy sheet metal behing the carb. On ebay, I just spotted this item. One listing said, "Intake baffle carburetor isolator plate," The other just said, "carburetor isolater plate."

What is the purpose? I don't remember seeing this in the manuals that I have downloaded. Does it need an intake gasket on each side? Mine only had one on the caeb side but who knows if one had been lost before I got the tractor.

I think it just acts heat sink. some engines use a wide vs long adapter. Tecumseh probably found the fuel was getting to hot before it entered the intake port. And space may have been limited so they came up with a long design like this?

If the fuel gets to hot it won't atomize as well and it could even boil the fuel causing a vapor lock.

This would explain something that happened years ago, not tractor related. I stopped to help a camper that was beside the road. I would not start. A man who worked for the state crew, driving a dump truck stopped. After trying a few things, the state worker asked the wife if she had a clothes pin in the camper, the snap kind and she said, "I think we do." She went in and came out with one. The state worker squeezed it and clipped it onto the metal fuel line right before the carburator. The camper started right up. The State guy said, " Vapor lock, just as I thought." I asked him how that works and he said he didn't know how, only that it does work. Now I know why it works.

Funny you say that. I that a camper that I had to pullover and let it sit for 5 minutes then I could drive for another 20 minutes, then same thing. So I rebuilt the carb changed fuel pump new filter and all. because every time it happened I would look down the throat of the carb, moved the throttle and no gas would spray in the venturi. after all that I decided to trace the fuel line, I found that a PO had routed the fuel line and actually had it laying on the right exhaust manifold, so needless to say it was boiling the fuel and causing a vapor lock. After I re routed the line I never had a problem again.

Interesting about the clothes pin, I can't figure what or how that would do anything? hmmm. heat sink I guess?

When I took my carb off for rebuilding, there was a piece of heavy sheet metal behing the carb. On ebay, I just spotted this item. One listing said, "Intake baffle carburetor isolator plate," The other just said, "carburetor isolater plate."

What is the purpose? I don't remember seeing this in the manuals that I have downloaded. Does it need an intake gasket on each side? Mine only had one on the caeb side but who knows if one had been lost before I got the tractor.

In addition to acting as a heat sink to dissipate heat away from the carb as already mentioned, on some engines, these plates also helped contain and direct the airflow from the flywheel toward the cooling fins near the exhaust. .....The airflow against the back of the baffle is what carried the heat away from the carb.

And, yes, as already stated, you need a gasket on each side of the plate.

No wonder you were having some starting issues. That would make a HUGE difference in mixture, especially when pull starting it.

If you don't have any gasket material around, might be time to pick some up. This is a simple gasket to cut out.

I was thinking about this issue since it wasn't sucking in the fuel. I ordered a few items from sears today and should have the tractor inside by the time the stuff arives. With Christmas, my son being here, trying to get some firewood stocked and now the ice. Things have been to busy to re-arrange my little building and get a proper workbench set up and have a little elbow room to work on my tractor. Right now, with the little snow turning to ice, I can't even get the doors to the shed opened. Wish I could, I have a bag of ice melt in there.

Same here lol. Then it's " Oh I'll just use the shovel to chip away at it" awww " The shovel is in the shed too!"

Next thing you know, you're using your brand new Christmas screwdriver as an ice pick, not because it's the best tool for the job, but because it's the only thing other than a steak knife that's not out in the shed...

Next thing you know, you're using your brand new Christmas screwdriver as an ice pick, not because it's the best tool for the job, but because it's the only thing other than a steak knife that's not out in the shed...

And it has a lifetime guarantee.

Alan when I was younger. same type of thing happened. I said hmm I'll just hook a hose to the hot water heater and melt all that ice! Needless to say our driveway could have been used for ice skating after I was done. I had no clue back then that hot water freezes faster than cold water LOL.

I only want the ice melt for the back step but then again, if she is brave enough to drive in this weather, she can certainly brave that back step. When I was her age, I would have driven on these roads too. Now? I would be better off sitting here, in front of the woodstove, keeping warm, and dreaming about springtime.